The Girl Who Shoots Things
by Elielephant
Summary: "It's hard to believe that I was once a marine and now a pirate, all because I had to follow my hero and now Captain."
1. The Girl Who Shoots Things

I had this idea the other day to do a little one shot for X. Drake, so hope you like the shortness.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.

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><p><em>The Girl That Shoots Things<em>

It's hard to believe. So very hard to believe that just a few measly months ago I was a lowly marine working on a simple marine warship with a former Rear Admiral, and now I'm a '_high ranking_' member of a supernova's crew. I still find it hard to believe, even if it already happened.

It was strange how it happened, too.

I wasn't one of the best marines out there, mind you, hence the fact of term '_lowly_'. I couldn't handle a sword or a dagger, hell, I couldn't even win in a fist fight against a two-year-old. But my shooting was pretty damn good, don't mean to brag, but my gunmanship was probably the best, and _he_ saw that it was. Whenever we were in battle, with the marines or as a pirate, he just needed to say one word:

"_Leanne_!"

That was it.

It was like a code word for '_shoot __that__ one_'. He didn't even need to tell me which one, I just knew which one he meant. Now, it wasn't some weird devil fruit that let me tap in on who it was or some weird connection I had with him, but rather, it was just I knew it from the looks of people. I had an eye for bad people vs. good people.

That's probably one of the reasons why he wanted me to come along with him; because I could shoot a bullet threw his head in a split second if he went walking by as a newly made pirate _and_ because I could pin point someone negative wanting to get his head for becoming a pirate, helping him avoid unwanted confrontations. Though I would never have the heart to shoot him; even if he was a pirate. He was my hero, no matter what he wanted to do or be, probably that's the reason why _I_ agreed to go with him.

It was difficult at first after we left the marines so suddenly, besides the fact that our heads were now official on the chopping block, but his more then mine. What was the hardest of all though, was trying to find a crew that wouldn't end up stabbing us in the back since Captain had a pretty big bounty for his neck since he left the marines, but somehow we managed to grab up a few loyal people that grew into a crew of strong men.

Most people that joined were wary though, not only because Captain _was_ a former Marine Rear Admiral, but also because _I_ was a woman and they thought _I_ was the first-mate. The ideas of how I was too '_weak_' to be the first-mate turned gears in their heads, but also out loud…to my face…and Captain's. They didn't even pondered the fact that I could out shoot them any day at any time, even in the blackness of night with no moon to guide me; they just looked at the fact that I was smaller then them, thinner, had boobs, and because I shaved with a sense of hygiene in mind.

But I _wasn't_ the first-mate. The first mate was a loyal man that was one of the first men that joined and was strong to handle it was. Captain told me it was because he needed someone, he was careful with the word he used, that could take charge. And he was right there.

I was just a lowly marine, I took orders not gave them; and the first-mate was an order giver. Though, I felt that wasn't the only reason. I think it was also because he didn't want to see a picture of a little brunette wildly shooting the guts out of someone put up on a bounty poster. First-mates sometimes have a habit of rising up with their captains. Like Killer of the Kidd Pirates or Zoro from the Strawhats.

He cared about me; that much was obvious. I was the one that he knew the longest and he still talked to me about plans, or just to causally talk about something weird, awkward topic; like the weather.

The crew would tease me about that.

Said we were in '_love_' and what not, but _that_ was impossible. Captain didn't love me; he didn't even show _that _type of affection towards me. I mean he didn't even hug me, the most that he ever did was a quick pat on the back or shoulder, which he did to _anyone_ that did or showed something good in his presence, but there was that _one_ time.

Besides that _one_ time when the crew was getting drunk in some seedy bar of the coast line and I was boasting to him that there was _nothing_ that could shut me up, why, I don't know, maybe I had a jabbing contest with someone and won, who knows, I was drunk. But anyway, I was telling him no one could shut me up.

And he kissed me.

That shut me up and made me sober all in one.

But that wasn't an act of love, but an '_I-can-prove-you-wrong_' action.

My Captain, X. Drake, could _not_ love me.

I'm just Leanne: the girl who shoots things.

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><p>So the little one shot for Drake.<p>

I had thoughts of making it into a full story, but that would be in a very long time depending on what people say.

So hope you liked it.


	2. Chapter 1: The Runaways

So, I have decided to make this into a full story, though the updates might be a bit slower compared to my other stories.

**Edited: I feel as if I need to do an extreme edit of this story. There are many flaws to it due to poor planning. I jumped into after I changed it from a one shot to a full story, so please, bear with me on the editing of chapters. It's for the better.**

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, only OC.

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><p>Chapter 1: The Runaways.<p>

_"__Leanne!"_ He yelled over his shoulder to the small brunette stumbling over her feet in shock as they ran through the base's courtyard.

Upon the implied order, she tried to pick up her speed, but she would only trip over her bare feet on the gravel planted in the streets and then she went ungracefully to her knees when a larger than normal pebble hit her big toe.

Drake skidded in the stone pathway, turning back sharply on his heel so the rocks _screeched_ against the metal of his boots. Ignoring the sound equal to that of nails on a chalkboard, he reached out to latch a firm grip to her arm, hoisting the brunette back on her bruised, bare feet.

Her first reaction was to dust off the dirty cloth at the kneecaps of her navy colored pants, but Drake had other plans by pulling her within his harsh grasp to continue on their journey.

The pattering of stones underfoot was the only sound that ticked against the bitter cold night along with their harsh breathes that seemed to glow in the moonlight. Heavy breathing started to pierce their lungs, and for a second Drake slowed down to regain lost oxygen and also for Leanne to rebuild her strength for the next dash to come. Then the sirens came on, ringing a loud bellowing tune that followed by confused cries of other Marines.

"_Find the traitor X. Drake! I repeat: Find the traitor X. Drake!_" The speakers wailed, making bright yellow spot lights flickered on; flashing across the whole area of the island.

Leanne's eyes went wide; she didn't know what was happening, but knew that is was nothing good.

When her commanding officer came into her dorm during the latest hours of the night in only his basic marine white button-up shirt and navy pants with black boots, she just knew something bad was happening, but not something like _this_. She figured the base was about to be under attack, bringing the whole island under high alert, and since she one of the closest to him, she thought he wanted to get her to safety. But _this_, she didn't know he did something that would cause _treason._ And now, he was dragging her into it.

Drake picked up speed, running even faster to the small civilian town nestled between the walls of the base and the bay.

There was a small dock for the town; just for the locals who wanted to go fishing or just a little pleasure cruise within the ice infested waters. The former Rear Admiral weaved through small nooks and cracks of alleyways between the buildings until the pair was released into the sudden opening of night under a dark starry sky, and then he sprinted full speed. Not just because he was in the open of the moonlight, but also because of the sight a spot lights against the waves forced him to push.

Forcing the pressure of his feet to dig into the cobble stone streets and onto the wooden docks, he didn't slow down even when skidding to the stop in front of a small navel submarine.

Drake spun the hatch, causing air to pop as it released from the compressed space. "Get in." He ordered, harsh and hurried to the bewildered brunette.

She just stood there, looking at him with wide sea-foam colored eyes.

"_Now!_" he snapped and grabbed her bicep forcing her to move towards the opening and scramble into the cramped space of thick metal shell that was screwed together to help withstand the deep cold waters of the North Blue.

With an ear popping _bang_, Drake slammed the hatch over head before climbing down the ladder to the floor. His boots echoed loudly once they hit the metal flooring, but there was a squeak from his heel as he turned to the head of the mini-sub.

"Leanne," his voice rang through the metal supports, and the brunette, loyal as ever, even if she was now going to be a wanted woman, came rushing to his side.

She was silent, but stood at attention, awaiting orders.

"Check the engines."

She nodded, turning on her bare heel and rushed to the back of the mini-sub while the soft patting faded from his ears.

He sat down in the first of the two seats at the front and he began flipping on the switches then pressing the right buttons that were all around, both in front and above him until the humming of machinery and a neutral rhythm of radar beeping sang in his ears over and over again until the patting of bare feet joined the chorus.

"It's all good, Sir." She said in a monotone voice, sitting in the seat next to the former Rear Admiral.

"Good." Drake nodded, gripping the wheel in firm hands and he pulled away for the uproar he left behind.

She just nodded in return and lounging back against the thinly dressed cushions of her chair and closed her eyes.

Humming and dotted beeping was the only sound that played along with the rattling and creaking of the mini-sub. Drake stared out at the pitch dark sea that was only highlighted against the brightness from the headlights. Steering the sub passed floating columns of grey colored ice, Drake let out a long sigh.

This wasn't supposed to happen his way, but it did. Now, sadly, he brought Leanne into this mess, though it was going to happen anyway, but not like this. Never like this.

"Why me?"

Drake snapped from his glum and glanced at the small brunette who he thought was sleeping soundly. "What do you mean?"

She opened her eyes and stared at him with her a serious look, but her voice was laced with a hidden emotion of worry. "Why me? Why did you pick me?" she questioned again her voice rising in pitch with a desperate tone.

Drake turned his head fully towards her, watching her stiffen and lean forward in her sit as she stared back at him with a glossy glaze over her sea colored eyes. He closed his eyes, and let out another sigh. "Because I needed help."

"Anyone could have helped you." She countered and her fingers started to dig into the patted cloth of the armrest.

"Because you are the only one that I could trust." Drake answered, and turned back to the sea in front of him.

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><p>Since I really don't know why Drake left the marines, or if it was said I don't remember, this will be a lot of guessing.<p>

Whether this will turn into a romance or not is still undecided, but when I get further along it will come out.


	3. Chapter 2: Shoes Please

I know I said it would be later updates, but it's the weekend and I had this idea in mind. So while I have time, I decided to get this chapter out of the way before the idea disappeared.

I know that the chapters are a bit short, but they should grow longer as the story goes on.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but I do own OC.

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><p>Chapter 2: Shoes please…<p>

Drake wished he would have prepped better before they left days ago. Not because they were low on food, but because Leanne didn't have shoes.

Curled tightly in a ball in the seat beside him, she gripped her numbing pales toes tightly, trying to seal the heat to them from the bitter cold piercing through the metal of the mini-sub from the freezing water of the North Blue.

He should have let her put shoes on, but the moment called for urgency when he needed to leave the base, and all the running that they did warmed her body and feet. But now, the cold was getting to her. He offered her his own boots, but she just shook her head with chattering teeth, he needed the boots, too, and just like the loyal marine she once was, she put him first.

So, instead he searched the mini-sub for anything to warm her up from getting frost-bite. Luckily, he found blankets; they were thick, but they were also course to the fingers touch, causing an itchy-like feeling to appear on exposed skin.

She wasn't picky, and just wrapped the blankets around her shivering body and feet that included toes until he could barely see her passed the thick wool.

He saved one for himself and, in discomfort, he wrapped it around his shoulders.

The first island that they could to, he needed to get supplies, and Leanne shoes, and no sooner did he think this, did the radar beep a faster rhythm when it picked up on an island.

"Sir?" Leanne poked her head out from the mountain of blankets after Drake docked and was getting up out of his seat.

"I'm getting supplies." He answered her, walking with loud footsteps to the ladder leading to the hatch.

"_What!_" Her eyes opened wide and she struggling out of all the thick, itchy blankets around her. Finally, she popped out from the cage of wool and jumped to the floor, chasing after her former commanding officer with only a single blanket at her shoulders. "You can't go out there!" She warned, looking up the metal ladder that Drake was climbing.

"I have to." He replied, spinning the hatch open and crawled out into the frosty air biting at his exposed skin that the blanket couldn't cover.

Leanne was quick to follow after him, ignoring the biting ice at her feet from the ladder and the frost covered dock. "Sir!" She rushed to his side, gently grabbing his arm.

Drake turned slowly on his heel with a deep frown, looking down at her curl toes, watching them turn red and blue from the cold.

"Sir, I'm sorry, but you can't just go out in the open like this during the day. You are a wanted man now." She tried to reason with him, though she didn't know exactly what he did to cause treason, all she knew is that he did do _something_ for the government to call him a traitor.

Drake was silent and just stared at her feet, the red and blue colors were staring to mix in a terrible hue of purple. "You need shoes." He said and turned back on his heel to the town covered lightly by a thin sheet of snow.

Leanne would have argued, but he was right. Looking down at her feet, she saw the purple shade darkening to black with each passing minute in the cold weather. So, instead, she quickly followed after her former commanding officer.

People stared at her funnily; shoeless in the North Blue's winter weather was always something to look at with surprise, but that's not what worried Leanne. It was Drake. He was an easy person to point out, though it was only two days since they left the base, the Marines were quick to get out bounty posters for anyone that was a threat to them. But luckily, people were more interested in her bare feet then her former commanding officer.

They walked into a small thrift store with odds and ends things, ranging from little house hold items to furniture. There was a small man behind the counter with glasses that made his eyes look three times larger then normal, and he shifted through a box, his head almost inside while he muttered something under his breath angrily.

"Excuse me." Drake spoke up at the foot of the counter.

The old man yelped and his hands dug under the nick-knacks in the box, letting them rain down on everyone as his hands went up.

Drake ignored the small metal objects bouncing off his broad shoulders and blinked slowly. "How much money do shoes cost?"

The man mumbled something; ignoring Drake for a second while he picked up small metal parts then replaced them in the box. "About 3,000 to 4,000 beli, depending on the pair." The man mumbled while reorganizing the contents within the box.

"Hat, gloves, coats?" Drake questioned further.

"The same, depending on the pair once again," the old man repeated.

"Hmm." Drake hummed slowly as he pressed his lips in thought. "I'll be right back. Do you mind if she stays here?" He pointed to the slightly shivering brunette as his side. "I don't want her getting frost bite."

This got the old man's attention and he leaned over his counter to look at the girl's feet. "By Santa Clause's red suit of jolly! Those are the worst colored frost bitten feet I've ever seen!"

The two just blinked at him.

"Right." Drake said slowly. "Do you mind if she stays here?" He repeated the question.

"Yes, yes." The old man waved it to the side. "She can stay."

"Then I'll be back shortly." Drake nodded to the man, turning on his heel sharply to the doorway.

"Oh and Sir!" The man called before he left, making Drake stop and glance over his shoulder. "Be careful out there, I head the Jackal Pirates are docked and they're nasty." He warned gravely.

"I see, thanks for the information." Drake said calmly and turned back to the door.

Leanne watched the back of her former commanding officer leave the store before looking around the packed room, spotting an old musty high-back armchair. With a flop, she sighed into the cushions as the chair's old wooden legs creaked under her weight. She curled her legs up at her stomach, resting her chin on her knees as she wrapped the blanket further around her body to cover her numb toes.

She wondered what Drake was doing. From what she knew, he didn't have money on him, so maybe he had some in the sub and was getting it. Though, he would have gotten it before they left, wouldn't he? She just shrugged it off; he knew what he was doing. It was like that in the past as well. He was hard to read, even in the toughest situations, but he always had a plan that worked out in the end. No one knew how he did it, not even the Vice Admiral knew. Though Leanne just figured it was how Drake was, which is why she looked up to him so much. He was a good man.

...Which, is why she was still confused on why he was now considered a _traitor_ to the Marines. He must have done something terrible...yet, she knew Drake well enough that it wasn't for naught. Just like he had a plan for everything, he had a reason for everything. And if he trusted her, then she would trust him as well.

The little bell above the door dinged, snapping Leanne from her thoughts to see Drake as he walked in through the door again.

He strode over to the counter and then placed a wad of beli in front of the old man. "Let us see all the winter gear you have."

The old man looked at him with wide eyes and turned around to the back of the store that followed with the sounds of moving boxes.

Leanne found the reaction of the old man to be odd, and she looked at her former commanding officer curiously. "Sir…" she leaned forward in the seat, gently placing her bare feet back to the cold wooden floor.

Drake turned to look at her with an expressionless look with something dark spattered on his face, but the dim light made it hard for her to tell.

"Where did you get the money…?"

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><p>People were now staring at them like they were an item walking down the snowy streets side by side.<p>

Drake had replaced the terribly uncomfortable thick wool blanket for a heavenly comfortable thick navy colored coat with buttons along the right side of his chest, plus a belt wrapped around his waist. And to stay incognito, he wore a black hat covering to just above his eyes, hoping that it would help him hide who he was, but the large _x_ scar on his chin was a dead give away.

Leanne, though, wore a similar coat in a dark crimson red with a fur lined hat to match and, most importantly, she was also now wearing a good pair of sturdy black boots. She didn't have to worry about being noticed, one she was a low ranking marine and two, the government probably didn't know she was with Drake, but they would find out sooner or later.

She blew into her gloved hands, watching her breath collect in her hands then flutter way with the wind towards the bulletin board filled with wanted posters and she stopped in her tracks while Drake continued walking.

There in the middle of other bounties was her former commanding officer. It was a picture she was familiar with since it was the one that was in the paper when he became a Rear Admiral, but that's not what made her stare at it wide eyed. It's what it said.

_X. Drake_

_Wanted Dead or Alive_

_Pirate - 50 million beli._

Leanne slowly turned her head from the poster to Drake_._

He was looking over his shoulder, and in the glistening light from the snow she saw that then spots on his cheeks were dark red: blood.

She stared at him for what seemed like eternity before whispering softly so only he could hear. "Pirate…"

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><p>So that's the end of that. I have a idea where this is going and I'm glad people think it's good so far.<p>

Also, I don't know if the bounty is too high or too low. I figured since Drake let the marines to be a pirate he would have a larger bounty, but still not too high because I don't want him to have over 100 million before he even gets to the Grand Line.


	4. Chapter 3: Turning Around?

So for this chapter, I raised the rating just in case because I am making this into a full story rather than a one shot,

Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but I do own OCs.

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><p>Chapter 3: Turning around?<p>

"Sir!" Leanne called out to Drake desperately while he walked away from her. She ran up to him quickly, reaching out to roughly grab his arm to force him to look her in the eyes, but all she saw was a shocked look in his face. Gasping, she pulled her hands away from his arm; she shouldn't have done that to her superior. "I—I'm sorry Sir…"

Drake ignored the look on her face and his shocked expression relaxed to a calm one. "Don't be." He simply said. "We aren't Marines anymore."

Leanne looked up at him slowly as her brows knitted together in confusion. "We…?"

Drake stared down at her. "We are in this together. At least, I hope so." He said with a slight tone of hope in his voice.

"I—I don't know…" she looked away from him, staring through the light flurry of snow at the sea.

"I see." Drake said slowly in a monotone voice.

"It's just—"

"I threw you into this." Drake cut her off. "I understand."

She looked back at him and saw the deep frown spreading across his lips. He did throw her into this, she wouldn't lie about that. She knew he did something, but that something being he fell to piracy was nowhere on the list; not even close to the bottom. And it only left so many doors open to questions of, why, why, and why. But those questions were left unanswered.

"Oi!" A voice shouted with a furious tone, making the two turn their heads at the angry group walking towards them.

Leanne recognized them; the Jackal Pirates. They had been causing quite the ruckus in the North Blue, building up quite the reputation before they headed into the Grand Line, as rumor told. They were led by their captain, Jackal Jackie, who wore his signature long black and fur lined cloak with a his jackal skull Jolly Roger stitched on the back.

Jackie did not looked pleased as he walked over to the Drake, looking at the former marine with a death glare in his yellow eyes. He stopped a few feet from Drake, digging his gloved hands into his cloak's pockets as his glare narrowed into a scowl. "You were the one that stole from my crew, huh?"

"Yes." Drake admitted point blank.

"You're playing with fire, _boy_. You know that?" Jackie sneered with a scoff as his scowl deepened.

Leanne stared at the pirate captain across the way. Did he _not_ know who he was talking to? Either that or _he_ was the one playing with fire, not the other way around.

"You're going to get it handed to you, boy." Jackie sneered with a smirk as his crew started to circle the two with guns in hand.

Drake remained calm, but Leanne looked at the situation nervously; she was _not_ a good fist fighter, _at all_, so getting into a fight with weapons when she was weaponless was _not_ going to help her chances.

Jackie held up a hand, pressing his thumb and forefinger together and his smirk widened. "With a snap of my fingers, my crew will destroy you. Any last words?" He questioned cockily.

Drake looked at him with dark eyes saying _I don't need any_.

Jackie's smirk flattered slightly into a confusing frown, and then his eyes opened wide when he saw the former marine's skin shift to a scaly green while his eyes turned to a piercing yellow. The pirate captain stumbled back in fear, watching the body of the former marine shift more to tower over him, engulfing him in a dark shadow.

"You're…you're…" Jackie backed away from the large dinosaur in front of him while beads of sweat streamed down his pale cheeks.

"_X. Drake!_" One of the crew members screamed in fear. "_The fallen Marine!_"

The crew all tried to run away, bumping into each other as they screamed at the top of their lungs.

Drake growled in his reptilian form, swinging his large, muscular tail towards the terrified, running pirate crew and sent them flying into buildings and the sea while he avoided hitting Leanne covering her head at the side of his leg.

Leanne shielded her head and neck, crouching down as Drake's scaly tail whipped around in circles, scattering the men all over the place while the sound of metal weapons clattered to the icy ground and bones breaking as bodies slung to the earth and buildings. Breathing in steadily, she tried to remain calm, forcing each breath in and out to a normal rhythm, trusting her former commanding officer.

Then the screaming stopped.

Leanne opened her eyes that were tightly sealed and she slowly stood up, removing her hands from over her head and looked around.

There was blood everywhere as it pooled around broken bodies of men laying on the ground in silence. The villagers all stood at the edge of the town in fear, covering their mouths with gloved hands. It looked like they didn't know what they should be afraid of more: the bloody massacre or the man who betrayed the government. Then they went running away, scrambling over each other until they were safely in homes that weren't destroyed; following with the second reason of why they should be afraid.

"Leanne."

She turned her head away from the vacant town save for the bodies all around her feet and looked at Drake who had blood spattered on his new coat and more dots decorated his cheeks.

"Are you alight?" Drake looked over her, seeing that there was more blood on her then him.

She nodded dumbly, wiping a hand across her cheek to see all the thick, iron smelling liquid staining her gloves. "I'm fine," she softly replied.

"I'm sorry about that, I didn't except that to happen." Drake admitted truthfully.

"Sir…" she said slowly.

"You don't need to call me that anymore." Drake told her. "I'm not a Marine anymore."

"Oh…" she looked down at her feet. "I…I…" she paused and bit her lower lip nervously.

Drake looked at her curiously. "I, what?"

She looked back up at him. "I don't think I can handle being with you. I'm not good enough." She blurted out.

"That's not true." Drake shook his head with a sigh. "From my time in the Marines, you were the best sniper that I had, you're loyal and know how to keep you're head on in the heat of the moment."

"Not right now. I didn't do anything."

"You didn't panic."

"Maybe, but I'm nothing without a gun."

Drake took that into consideration and turned on his heel walking over to a lone gun, grabbing it up then tossing to the brunette.

Leanne cradled the weapon carefully as it fell into her hands, staring in slight disgust. It was a flintlock pistol, the favorite and prized small arms for any pirate, but the owner of this particular pistol didn't seem to care much for the upkeep of his weapon, making it hazardous for any marksman like herself. Giving the flintlock one lost rolling look over, she turned back to Drake with a curious look.

"It's not a good gun." He shrugged and placed his hands deep within his pockets. "But join my crew and I'll make sure you get a better one and more."

She looked at the pistol again then back and him with a raised eyebrow.

"If not, I'll take you back to the base. It's your choice." Drake offered her, but she could tell from the look in the former marine's eyes that he wanted her to come with him.

Leanne couldn't let him go back; he'd be hanged for sure. But going with him was different.

It's not the fact that she would be a pirate, but that she made not be good enough. Drake thought she was good enough to go with him, so should she, right? He was her hero, that's for sure. She remembered when she first was let out of training camp and was assigned to a crew where Drake just turned into a captain. He was a good and honest man that easily turned into a Rear Admiral three years later. Was he still that man before her? That was something she had to find out for herself.

She smiled and placed the safety on the gun before placing into the belt around the waist of her coat. "Ready to go, _Captain_."

Drake smiled back faintly at her. "Then let's go." He ordered, walking back to their mini-sub with her jogging slightly through the blood and snow to his side.

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><p>I hope this was a good way to get Leanne to transition from marine to pirate. Being one of the first people to do an on going Drake story does have its high points and low points, so I'm just winging it along while trying to make everything still make sense.<p>

So I hope you liked this chapter like the others.

**Edited**: It's not a big change, but I looked over some guns, and I tried to stay with one for Leanne that was based from when pirates where actually around, and upon looking that, I saw that flintlock pistols were the favored ones, at least, that's what the article told me. If people wish to tell me it's wrong or have a better suggestion, I'm all ears.


	5. Chapter 4: The Navigator

I'm glad people are enjoying this little story, even if I'm writing in the dark. So, thank you for all reviews, views, alerts and favorites.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but I do own my OC.

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><p>Chapter 4: The navigator.<p>

"This isn't looking good for us, Captain…" Leanne walked through the overly creaking mini-sub with a grave expression on her face after checking the little sub's engine.

The mini-sub was only meant for short distance, like for scouting from an island or larger sea vessel, not long distance like they were doing from island to island. She was surprised that the sub managed to stay together for the two weeks in the deep frosty waters constantly biting the poor sub's metal cover.

Drake sighed from his spot at the wheel. "I know, but we can't do anything until we dock, and according to the radar we still have an hour to go."

"By the time we get there I think we might end up taking in water." She said dryly, flopping down in the seat next to her captain with her own sigh as she lounged into the thin cushions.

Drake chuckled sarcastically with a small roll of his eyes. "Then let's hope _that_ doesn't happen."

Leanne couldn't help but smile, though it was not a really laugh, but a laugh was a laugh and she hadn't seen Drake laugh since the day before he became a Rear Admiral.

The time went by quickly, and the mini-sub was docked sloppily at the large port for the new island they came upon; Drake wasn't expecting to come back again. So they gathered up their supplies, putting food and other things, like clothes and small personal items they had purchased into travel bags and backpacks, shrugging them over onto backs and shoulders.

Then Drake wrapped a long black scarf around his neck, covering his chin from the world before he climbed out of the mini-sub for the last time with Leanne right behind him.

"What do you suggest we do first, Captain?" Leanne asked, adjusting the bag on her back as they walked through the large city covered in a thin layer of grimy looking snow.

"We need to find a ship, but I feel like we will need to find more of a crew before we invested in a large ship." Drake informed her with a muffled voice from behind the scarf.

"Sounds like a plan, but where do we even look for a crew. It'll be hard with your former line of work if we are looking for other pirates…" Leanne trailed off, looking at the bulletin board placed right by the docks with her captain's wanted poster smacked dabbed in the middle with other rising pirate captains around it.

Drake let out a heavy sigh. "You're right, but we still need to try."

"So who should we look for first?" She picked up speed in her step, letting the crunching sound of the soles of her boots increase as she was walking along side Drake.

"A navigator." He answered shortly.

Leanne nodded at the answer. "Sounds like a good idea since I know nothing about that kind of stuff." She admitted with a small shrug and bashful smile. Her time in the Marines, she was never taught that since she was only a lowly foot solider; they higher ranking Marines got more training, especially when certain talents came out.

"I know enough to get by, but an expert would be better to have on board." Drake explained, but slowed down his steps through the snow as he heard the hammering of wood echo in his ears.

He stopped, turning his head to look at a small building, which looked like a shack compared to the tall cement-like building crowded next to it, and there he saw a tall, lean man hammering a '_closed_' sign to the store's former sign that said _Sea Charts._ But what Drake noticed most was the ink stained finger tips, tanned skin from sun exposure on the open seas, and quills along with dusty colored papers stuffed in the pockets of his apron. Drake saw his future navigator.

All Leanne saw was the man's bright, shiny bald head.

"Excuse me." Drake strolled over to the grumbling man.

"Sorry, we're closed: for good." The man huffed with an angry breath of air.

"I see." Drake said slowly, but before he could continue the man went on with his rant.

"Can't stay open when my employees are gone; they just disappeared into thin air! How does that happen at a time like this, I mean really? Old Henry is now the biggest navigation company on this island, and we were barely making it by, and now without my employees we'll never stay open; even if they came back right now there would be no hope. That moron Old Henry, he probably doesn't know a thing about charting an island like I do." The man vented as he crossed his arms with a deep scowl.

Drake just blinked. "Well…if you don't have a job anymore, how about you join my crew? I'm in need of a good navigator."

The man scoffed. "If you find my employees, we'll _all_ join you're two-man, err…" the man paused and looked at Leanne. "Man and woman crew."

"Excellent." Drake nodded with a small smirk from behind his scarf. "Then we'll be back shortly." And he turned on his heel, walking away from the man and back towards the docks.

Leanne just blinked at her retreating captain then turned back to the man with almost a guilty look. "Um, what's your name, by the way?"

"Jacob."

"Ah, okay, then Jacob. We'll be right back, like Captain says." Leanne flashed him a small smile before jogging to catch up with Drake.

"You know I was being sarcastic, right?" Jacob called at to her.

She twisted her body to look back at him while she slowed down her pace so she didn't trip. "Try telling that to him." Leanne called back, pointed to the back of her captain.

Jacob sighed, he couldn't argue with that, especially if he didn't know who the man was.

* * *

><p>The first place the two searched was the dock's largest bar; the bigger the place the more people there would be. That's usually where jobless men hangout with other jobless friends, anyway. Plus, bartenders tend to have all the information on everything for a small price that Drake was willing to pay to get more men on his crew.<p>

So, he sat down at the dingy looking bar on the creaky looking stool with Leanne sliding uncomfortable next to him since most of the men looked like they hadn't seen a clean and weak looking woman in years compared to all the scowling tavern maids with grim smeared on their cheeks and any other exposed skin. The tavern maid looked like they could put up a fight if not paid correctly, which is why the men looked to stay clear of them and had eyes on Leanne, but if they tried to touch he, they wouldn't get a second chance to rethink that former idea.

The bartender ignored them for a second and just cleaned at his clear glass with a rag until he slowly turned his head in their direction with a smirk on his young face. "What can I get you two? A drink perhaps?" He asked them curiously, eyeing the dark stains that he couldn't identify on their coats.

"We need some information." Drake clarified simply.

There was a small twinkle in the bartender's eyes when the word _information_ was spoken. "I see…" he drawled out slowly in a low tone, leaning in closer to the two. "You know there's a price for that, right?"

"Money's not an issue." Drake answered smoothly.

"I don't want money…" the bartender glanced at Leanne with a sly smirk, making her cringe and move closer to her captain.

Drake scowled darkly at the man in front of him and grabbed a fist full of the bartender's shirt then sent his knuckles to the other man's cheek.

The skull crushing sound made the large bar pin-drop silent.

"I think the information should be free." Drake rebutted coldly.

The bartender just nodded dumbly. "O—of course…" he said in a high pitched voice that made him flinch because of the large bruise forming on the skin around his mouth and under his eye.

Drake let the bartender go roughly, making the other man stumble back slightly from the force. "Tell me about the disappearance of the employees from the navigation store called _Sea Charts_." Drake demanded in an emotionless tone, but the look in his eyes sent chills down the other man's spine.

"I heard they were taken to the Marine Base prison because it was rumored they stole something from Old Henry, but that's just what I heard." The bartender replied while rubbing his sore cheek.

Drake was silent, tapping his fingers against the bar's wooden surface in thought.

With each tap the bartender flinched slightly, hoping the man that just brutally assaulted him would think that the information would be suitable.

"It should be enough." Drake replied as he stood up from the stool at the bar, gently grabbing Leanne's arm along the way and he stalked out of the still silent bar.

They walked along the tall buildings surrounded by a snowy white haze mixed with a light grey smog, well Drake dragged Leanne since he was still in deep thought, trying to think of a plan that would help them break into a Marine Base. It would be extremely difficult since he was fallen Marine, but then again, it would be easier since there were only two of them, but would he even bring Leanne? He didn't want her getting hurt, but she had a gun at least to protect herself, and after the incident at that bar he would rather have her at his side. But if she got hurt...

"Captain…"

Then the voice of his marksman broke his train of thought, and he looked at her over his shoulder.

"Can you let me go? You're starting to hurt my arm." She said in a small voice that was laced with hidden pain from her captain's fingers digging into her skin.

Drake stopped walking and let her go. "Sorry." He said shortly.

"It's fine." She replied simply, rubbing her arm to ease the numbing pain. "But Captain…" she said slowly while moving her head up to look him in the eyes. "What're you going to do?"

Drake was silent for a moment as closed his eyes while rubbing his temples in frustration. "I have a plan, but it may just get us in prison, too." He answered then opened his eyes to look down at her. "Are you willing to risk that?"

Leanne just smiled and gave her captain a thumbs up.

Drake returned with a small smirk. If she was willing to go, he wouldn't just leave her behind, plus he knew she was a good fighter; he wouldn't have brought her along if she wasn't. "Then follow me." He said shortly, heading to the marine base located at the center of the island, hoping that his plan would work.

* * *

><p>This chapter is actually 2,000 words, see it's slowly getting longer as we go.<p> 


	6. Chapter 5: The Saber

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but OC is mine.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5: A Saber.<p>

The cover of night shielded them as Drake and Leanne ran cautiously around the towering base walls of the Marine fortress, avoiding the random spots of light that would dance around the ground and trees. With their background of being in the Marines, they knew that there was always a few hidden doors built into the walls, in case something or someone important needed to get out safely in an emergency.

Drake scanned the walls, using his keen senses to pin point where the hidden door was, and then he skidded to a stop, forcing Leanne to stumble with a slide into his back. He easily ignored the small bump of her body against his and found the hidden door, though he didn't know if they changed the locks yet. After his decent to piracy, he was sure all the Bases was in a flurry to change information so he had no more access Luckily for him, they hadn't gotten around to do that when he pressed the keys on the small board. The keypad was drenched in the color black to camouflage, almost invisible to the naked eye, but Drake found it more or less to his devil fruit powers, and then with a _click_, it slowly moved to the side, revealing the inner courtyard of the fort.

Drake examined the area cautiously, scanning over the snow covered gravel paths leading to different doors and training areas. He was in a bit of a rush, so he had to hurry and find a good entrance that would help them get further into the fort, and also to avoid confrontation with any Marines. The Navy men were perched on the walls and there were patrols as well, but he quickly noticed the large distances between patrol A and B as they past by. He and Leanne would have plenty of time to get to cover.

Then, he felt a small tug on his sleeve and he turned around to meet a worried look in Leanne's eyes. "Captain…" she drew out slowly in a soft tone. "Are we going to…kill the Marines?" she questioned him nervously, shifting back and forth on her feet.

Drake blinked and thought it over before speaking. Of course she would be nervous about killing Marines; she was once one just like himself. He knew that Leanne would need a bit more time to adapt to the new lifestyle then he would need. "Right now, no; we are out matched." he told her calmly as his eyes turned to the courtyard again.

Leanne sighed in relief, but her exhale was stopped short when Drake continued.

"But we're pirates now, Leanne. There may be a time when we have to kill Marines." He informed her emotionlessly.

Leanne moved her head up and down slowly. "Aye...Captain..." she said, and Drake could hear the uncertainty in her voice, and laced with a small hint of sadness.

Drake understood that, and he turned back around to face her, gently patting her shoulder in comfort. She would feel like this for awhile, but soon she would understand. "Come on." He ordered, and stepped through the doorway into the open with Leanne following close behind at his heels.

Thanks to his background again, he knew that each Marine fort in the North Blue had similar blueprints, the only thing different was the rooms were sometimes switched around, so just in case the enemy did get a blueprint and if their target was, say, the arsenal, they could easily end up at the office of the highest ranking officer, earning them a one way trip to the gallows. But he knew for a fact that each fort had the prisons in the deepest parts of the cold stone underground.

Drake led the way to the kitchen door first; it was easy to pin-point since there was a large green house placed near the door so the Marines would always have fresh food, well, more like the commanding officers would have fresh food. The lower ranking marines would always have the slop of what was left over; something that he truly hated. The Vice Admiral did that, the bitch. High strung on 'absolute' justice, which caused her to treat her subordinates like shit if they dared cross the wrong line. The Vice Admiral's toes must be curling into oblivion after the treason he caused, but oh well. He has his reasons and that was that.

He was surprised to find the kitchen vacant; usually the cooking staff was always there, making sure meals were prepped for worthiness and perfection for the men stationed there and also commanding officers. Maybe it was different at each marine fort, he never really stayed more than few days during his short time as a Rear Admiral. Though, this just made it easier for the two since the storage cellar led further into the pits of the base.

Pushing open the thick wooden of the pantry with all the canned and jarred foods was. He knew another passage led further down into the pits of the fortress, going into a series of tunnels that connected everything in the base, even the prison. It was an easy way to get prisoners out for hangings, especially if the Marines knew that fellow pirates were waiting at a spot for their captured mate to come out, but only to find him hanging by the ropes.

Dim, swinging lanterns swayed back and forth in the narrow and musty tunnels underneath the fortress, leading the way further down into the chilling earth of the North Blue. Drake was starting to become less cautious the further they went down since there was no sound but the soles of their feet lightly hitting the stones floors; not even a mouse scurrying across the way invaded his ears. But then the sound of heavy footsteps decided to invade his ears, bringing his senses into high alert and he grabbed Leanne by the upper arm to drag her into the first room he saw.

He hurriedly shut the thick wooden door, but still as softly as he could, then clamped a hand over her mouth when he saw her about to speak.

Leanne looked at him with confused eyes at the fact that he was standing extremely close to her with a hand over her mouth, but then her ears picked up on the footsteps on the other side of the door followed by two voices.

"_Can't believe that X. Drake is a pirate now._"

"_Wonder why he became one in the first place._"

"_I know right. The man probably had the life._"

"_Being a Rear Admiral must have been great, who would ever want to fall from that?_"

"_Maybe something happen?_"

"_Something he didn't like? Yeah, right. Going from high ranking marine to pirate because** something** happened, just sounds stupid._"

"_Eh, you never…_" the second voice faded away by then, along with the heavy footsteps.

Drake let out a soft sigh, removing his hand from Leanne's mouth and then he scanned the room: the armory. Today was just his lucky day.

He scanned over the neatly kept and polished weapons, looking each one over. He needed to have a weapon anyway, sometimes using his devil fruit powers all the time could become a bit hazardous and cause too much attention to be draw towards him. So picking up a saber, he tested the weight in his right hand, giving it a single test swing, then two. Nodding at the finely crafted sword, though it was a Marine sword, he grabbed a belt and strapped it around his waist then placed the saber in its holder.

Then his eyes glanced over to the guns. Leanne's simple flintlock, which she said was poorly taken care of, wasn't the of best pistols compared to the ones in the room. Drake's fingers finger brushed around the wood of the handle, picking the pistol up. Another flintlock, but a Queen Anne, designed with the purpose of making reloading quicker, but were expensive to produce. Not that the Marines didn't have money to spare to make sure all their equipment was the best. So this was really his lucky day, along with Leanne's.

Taking the Queen Anne in hand, along with holster, flint and bullets, Drake went back over to Leanne. "This will do you justice." He told her, handing her the belt with everything else.

Leanne removed the grimy Jackal Pirate pistol from the belt around her waist and tossed it to the ground with a small clatter, then hooked the new belt around her hips comfortably, slipping the better flintlock into place along with the flint and bullets.

"Ready?" he questioned while moving towards the door.

Leanne nodded simply and followed her captain out.

The soft clicks of their heels were the only sound being made once again, but then Drake stopped when he heard the sound of a large yawn, and he put out a hand to stop Leanne from advancing.

Looking around the corner, he saw a sleepy Marine, leaning against his rifle with heavy eyes. Turning back to look at Leanne, he gave her a signal that ordered _stay put_.

Leanne stepped back slightly and closer to the wall with a small nod.

Drake nodded back to her shortly before pushing away from the wall and slowly making his way to the Marine.

The Marine on guard started to shift slightly, his brows twitched as the strange sound of boots entered his ears and then he woke with a startle to see the fallen Marine X. Drake within his presence. He cowered in fear for a moment, then held up his rifle to shoot, but was too late when he felt the stinging pain of the former Marine's saber pierce the skin of his stomach.

With a sharp gasp, the Marine fell to the floor when Drake removed the blade with an emotionless stare.

It wasn't something he wanted to do, he wanted to avoid killing if possible for this mission, but the Marine knew it was him by the way the man looked at him with fear in his eyes, so he had to be silenced.

"Hey…why'd you do that?" a man spoke up with a quivering voice, and Drake turned to see five men behind bars, wearing shirts with the initials of _S.C._ on the fronts.

"Are you from _Sea Charts_? The employees that went missing?" Drake questioned them calmly.

"Yeah…" the man that spoke face turned into an angry scowl. "That bastard Old Henry had us locked up for no reason! I swear!"

"I see." Drake said smoothly and rooted through the dead marine's pockets for the keys. "Well, I'm here to get you out." He informed them, placing the newly found key into the lock, opening it with a _click_. "Now, if you'll follow me, we will get you out of here."

The man looked at him oddly. "We…?"

* * *

><p>The five men had been wary about following Drake and Leanne out of the Marine fortress, and slightly afraid since they just witness the death of a Marine solider, but for some reason, seeing the woman walking calmly alongside the man with a scarf wrapped tightly around his neck relaxed them, but only a little.<p>

They started to walk along the dark streets of the city with the smell of sea water welcoming them back to the docks, and the little shop of _Sea Charts_ with the owner sitting on a crate and his elbows resting on his knees as his fingers tapped against his tanned cheek, waiting quietly. Then, the sound of multiple boots on the snow littered ground made him turn his head away from thought.

Jacob's eyes opened wide in shock when he saw the five missing men. "You found them!" he shouted in surprise as he jumped up from the crate and ran to the group. "Where were you all now!" he scolded his employees in a stern voice as his brows knotted together in fury.

"Sorry Boss…" a man spoke up with a small glare not directed toward the bald man. "We were in the prison because Old Henry said we stole from him."

Jacob gawked in fuming anger. "That's unbelievable! If anyone is stealing from anyone it would be him! Wait until—"

Drake coughed lightly to gain Jacob's attention before the man could go on with ranting again. "I believe that you have a promise to fulfill now."

Jacob blinked. "I was being sarcastic, you know."

Drake raised an eyebrow in small amusement. "You may have been, but didn't you say that you couldn't reopen even if your employees came back hours ago?" he challenged the bald man with the small question.

Jacob blinked again. "Ah, yes. I believe I did say that, now didn't I." he sighed out loudly. "So I guess I should be calling you Captain now, right?" he scoffed, and then turned to employees. "Well, lads, this _fine_ gentleman said he would save you if we joined his crew, and since the store it closed for good, it looks like we have no choice in the matter."

The former employees of Sea Charts just nodded dumbly, with no job or families, they might as well go. Though, they were still cautious of the man with the scarf since he was obviously a pirate.

"So, Captain." Jacob tested the new word to his new boss. "Where is the ship?"

"We have a mini-sub that is probably underwater now." Drake answered calmly.

"Well, _that's_ usefully." Jacob rolled his eyes. "Looks like we will have to take my charting boat, come on, follow me." He ordered them mildly in a gruff tone, trying not to offend his new captain because he men in charge could be pesky about that, and he used to be one of those men.

The small crew followed the bright, glistening head of Jacob, and Leanne swore she saw the reflection of the moon in it, to the docks where a small ship among the large towering ships with the name _Old Henry_ carved in the sides was docked. They all filed aboard, and Leanne guessed that the men practically lived on the small charting ship, so everything was already there.

Jacob took up charge of casting away from the large port, but once the island was nothing but a dot in the distance, he turned to his new captain in curiosity. "What's your name, anyway?"

Drake turned to him slowly and unraveled the scarf that was covering his chin, showing off his scar.

The men on board froze, looking at him with wide and fearful eyes.

"I'm Pirate Captain X. Drake."

* * *

><p><strong>Edited<strong>:

So, since I added more detail about Leanne's gun, the flintlock, I looked up types of flintlocks I guess you could say, and that's when I came across the Queen Anne. The Queen Anne pistol was a breech-loading design which made reloading quicker, like the chapter says, and it was difficult to make them because they were expensive to produce. But since it's the marines we are talking about, I'm sure they put a lot of money into their weapons so they could easily get the best, though I'm not sure if the Queen Anne is the best, I'm only a girl who doesn't know much about guns, so if anyone disagrees with me, I'm sorry.


	7. Chapter 6: Crew without a Captain

So I edited a few points within the story, mostly having to do with Leanne, so if you don't feel like rereading the chapters again, I'll give a basic run down here.

First: Leanne's first gun, the Jackal one, is now called a flintlock. I chose this one because I looked up what types of guns pirates would use and it said that flintlocks were it. Though that is only what the article said.

Next: If people found it weird that I used "small brunette" too much, well I fixed that, too. I stopped using it at the end of chapter three since it would be weird for Leanne to be called a marksman when she had no gun. Though, I'm still hesitant of using the work marksman because it's for men, and Leanne is clearly not a man, and markswoman just sounds weird in my opinion.

Third: When Leanne gets her new guns, I changed it to a Queen Anne pistol (and she only gets one rather then two), which is a type of flintlock. I don't know if its the best choice, I don't know much about guns, but it said that it was made for with the purpose for a faster reload, and Leanne needs a gun like that. But what really drew me to it was because it was also said to be very expensive to make, which I thought would work since the marines probably put a lot of money in good weapons, though I don't know if the Queen Anne is the best of the best of flintlocks.

Lastly: Sorry for the grammer errors. As a human, I miss then. As a writer, I'll fix them.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but OCs are mine.

* * *

><p>Chapter 6: Crew without a Captain.<p>

The month on the small charting ship was a long one, a _very_ long one.

Jacob and his former employees went into a panicked frenzy when they found out who Drake was. They looked at him with wide eyed terror and it seemed as if they were about to abandon ship, taking their chances against the harsh, icy waters of the North Blue rather then spending the rest of their time under the command of a former Marine gone pirate.

But for some reason, they all relaxed when they saw Leanne stand at Drake's side. Maybe they thought that since a deadly traitor of the government was with a small, weak looking woman, that he wasn't that bad and had a bit of a heart left. So, they slowly started to accept him as their new captain, since they didn't have anywhere to go anyway; a majority of them were considered criminals back at their home. They listened to Drake when he gave, orders, Jacob was having trouble stepping down from his boss status though. But on thing the former men of _Sea Charts_ was they weren't thrilled when Leanne would order them.

They thought she was the first mate, and they didn't like being ordered around by a woman who was probably younger then them, and just a woman in general. But, Leanne was under the mind set that they would all take up chores on the ship for the time being since there were only eight of them and that was how it was like with the lower ranking Marines back in her old life. They each took a share of chores and if someone's not pulling their weight, tell them to. Simple.

But the former employees of _Sea Charts_ would linger around before they went off to do what she asked, or grudgingly go off and work when they saw Drake nearby.

Leanne just thought they didn't want to do the chores, but Drake could see it wasn't like that, and that offended him since he was planning on making her his first mate, once they got a bigger crew of course.

"What are we going to do?" Jacob questioned his captain while they walked along the smoothly paved streets of the new city they docked at.

Drake looked over the short brick buildings to see the towering camouflaged walls: it was another Marine riddled island due to the fact that it was the last one before the Grand Line. He was planning on traveling there, but not in the little fishing boat Jacob called a ship that had seven men plus Leanne. This was his last chance to get more men and a better ship, and he was going to get what he needed, no matter what.

"We need to look for more men and a suitable ship for the Grand Line." Drake replied.

"Grand Line?" Jacob's eyebrow rose. "So you're one of those pirates that wants One Piece, too?"

"Yes." Drake admitted shortly.

"If that's your goal then finding a crew and better ship would be beneficial, but where do we even look first?" Jacob asked his captain with rising curiosity.

Drake smirked lightly towards his navigator. "The bar of course."

Jacob rolled his eyes in slight annoyance. _Of course_ the bar, since that's where all the pirates love to hang out, along with bounty hunters. That was just the _prefect_ place in the navigator's mind.

Jacob's nose scrunched up as he went walking through the open door of the seedy, dimly light bar as the stench of stale beer and strong whiskey stung his nose like a bee to his skin. But he was surprised at what he saw, and what he heard. Jacob was thinking we would see rowdy pirates with tavern whores on their laps, drinking ale by the gallons while singing drunk tunes until the rafters shook for dust to rain down. But instead, he saw a grim mood filtering into the air as a group of feathered hat pirates sulked over untouched beers.

"Captain?" Jacob leaned over, whispering to Drake. "What's with this?"

Drake just looked over the pirate crew with curious eyes until he saw the bartender at his post behind the counter housing all the liquors and alcohol. He strolled over to the bar, passing by all the tables filled with moping pirates and he slipped into the stool with Leanne taking the seat next to him and his small crew huddled close behind him like a protective shield. His elbows leaned against the hard table top of the bar, he looked over to the bartender.

The old man cleaning a clear glass looked nervously over at the pirate captain, feeling the stare boring into his eyes, unsure of why the man looked like he wanted to kill him. "Is there something you need, sir?" The bartender asked nervously while walking over hesitantly to the man sitting at his bar.

"Can you tell me about the crew that's here." Drake asked calmly.

The bartender started to fidget back and forth on his feet, feeling the pressure under the man's gaze; though his words were calm, the look in the man's eyes were giving a glare of death. Usually, he would put up a price for information of any sort, but something deep down in his gut told him that asking this man about money was a bad idea, a _very_ bad one indeed. "They are the Feathered Doves Crew, well, they used to be that is."

"Used to?" Drake's brow rose slightly in interest.

The bartender nodded slowly. "The Marines caught their captain, hung him this morning and burnt their ship, too. Now the Marines are taking their sweet ole time with weeding out the rest of the crew, and I think you can see why." He looked over the depressed men with heads hung low of their pints of beer. "Looks like they aren't going anywhere anytime soon."

Drake glanced over his shoulder and saw the soulless men sitting at tables with clouds of darkness hovering above them, pouring out storms of sadness for the lost of their captain. He had to admit: he pitied them slightly. Losing an important person, one that they looked up to was a terrible thing to go through; he had been through it when he was with the Marines.

But, he was a pirate now and those days in the past were over. Pitying others was a bad habit to be drawn into. Plus, he could use this situation to his advantage. These men were now giving up on life while waiting for the marines to send them to their deaths, which was something he could change with a few choice words.

"What about the first mate?" He then asked

"The first mate?" The bartender repeated slowly, letting the words roll from his tongue in thought. "Ah!" his eyes brighten when the answer came to mind. "He's over there." He pointed to a man with short blonde hair that was covered by a large hat with an equally large feather attached to it. "That's Dublin Carter, former first mate of the Feathered Doves."

"I see." Drake said slowly, pushing away from the bar.

Leanne started to rise from her seat as well, but Drake placed a firm hand on her shoulder.

"Stay here." He told her shortly.

Leanne looked at him with confused eyes, but listened to him and flopped back down on the barstool.

Drake turned his gaze away from her and towards the ex-first mate of a disbanded crew.

The former crew didn't seem to take notice as he walked across the room, or they just didn't take the time to care as he made his way to the sulking ex-first mate, weaving his way passed tables filled with the dreary pirates. The ex-first mate sighed heavily, letting his shoulders rise and then fall dramatically as he rested his cheek in the palm on his hand. Then, he noticed the tall man with broad shoulders in a blood strained coat sit across from him at his empty table.

"Dublin Carter, correct?"

"Sadly." Carter replied with an empty stare in his green eyes.

"I heard what happen to your captain." Drake said calmly to him.

The ex-first mate's eyes flickered to a state of mournful pain at the mention of his dead captain, and another heavy sigh escaped passed his lips, letting his frown deepen.

"Are you just going to let the Marines do this to you?" Drake questioned with a bit of harsh tone in his voice.

Carter's depression snapped when the rough words were spoken, and he raised an eyebrow at Drake, with confusion and also in a mix of anger.

"Aren't you going to fight for your Captain?" Drake continued to press the questions upon the blonde and glared mildly. Drake knew that the Marines would just leave a body to hang in the gallows for days to show what would happen to other pirates, and he knew it would be longer on this island just because it was the island before the Grand Line.

Carter bit his lip, trying to hold his tongue as if he was torn with either listening to Drake or yelling at him, but then a small sigh calmed him down and he looked up at the pirate captain with a glare of hopefully revenge. "But how do we even do anything?" His words came out strong, easily hiding the cracks of emotion in his voice, but Drake could still feel the thickness laced in the ex-first mate's tone.

Drake looked him straight in the eyes, saying: "Follow me, and I'll help you avenge your fallen Captain."


	8. Chapter 7: Battle for a Captain

Sorry about the gun confusion; I meant flintlock, but I typed it as flinklock by accident. I still don't know much about guns, so if something sounds wrong about when Leanne is fighting with her Queen Anne, then I'm sorry. I looked up the process and things, don't get me wrong, but it's hard to picture in the mind what it looks like. I think I might need to watch Pirates of the Caribbean soon to see how pirates and guns work...

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but I do own OC.

* * *

><p>Chapter 7: Battle for a Captain.<p>

"_Leanne!_" Drake roared over the raging battle field at the gallows.

Leanne whipped around, rotating the half-cock to full and pulling the trigger of her Queen Anne, shooting the offending Marine closing in on Jacob's back. She didn't know a Marine was getting close to the navigator, but when Drake said her name and saw the look in his eyes, she knew who she needed to protect and who to shoot. It was simple, yet complicated at the same time, but she lived without getting to in depth and went with the flow. It was easier that way.

Blood was spattered everywhere on the paved ground, reddening the brick walls of buildings and coating both corpses and heated bodies moving to the dance of blades and guns. Screams of battle was the song that roared overhead and throughout the narrow alleyways, the clash of metal steel and bangs of bullets hitting flesh and stone echoed around a single platform with a lone body dangling from a rope.

Drake, at first, tried to avoid using his devil fruit powers. One, because he didn't know if any high ranking Marines were at the island and two, he didn't want to bring more harm to his crew or former Feathered Doves. He didn't want to frighten the other pirates. He didn't wasn't helping them avenge their dead captain for nothing, he had a bigger plan, and it wouldn't work if they died or ran off at the sight of him.

The Marines kept coming and with no sign of a high ranking Marine such as a Commodore or higher. He didn't know though, the Vice Admiral could be around the corner for all he knew; the bitch was out for his hide for sure. But Drake needed to get everyone on his side out of this alive, so he decided that it was time to shed his skin.

The men all around him, pirates and Marines, stared with petrified fear, gazing up with wide eyes as Drake's body changed violently. His form moved and shifted into a scaly green and his eyes grew narrow into the reptilian form, glossy over then piercing yellow eyes. Men quivered in their boots, watching the dinosaur trampling over Marine, but easily avoided the pirates he was leading in the battle.

"Don't freeze now!" Carter ordered his fellow crewmates over the sounds of battle.

He too was shocked at the sudden appearance, but when he thought back, he should have noticed the large 'x' scar on the man's chin. Being fearful snapped away he saw that Drake was helping his mates like he said he would back at the bar, so he just continued on his way to the platform where his captain's limp body was hanging. It was easier to get up to the platform now because Drake was taking all the Marines attention. So, running up the steps to his goal, he snaked out the dagger hidden within his boot and cut the rope that had ended his captain's life.

The body fell as the rope snapped in half, limp and heavy into Carter's cradled arms, forcing the ex-first mate into a kneeling position at the dead weight.

Carter stared into the shocked open eyes of his dead captain. It was still a hard thing for him to believe that his captain was dead. The man he followed since the beginning was cold in his arms, stripped of his glory of being a captain for a crew heading for the Grand Line to join the race for One Piece. Like every other pirate, his captain's dream was also to find what Gold Rogers left behind and claim it for his own to become The King of Pirates, but that all ended with a single rope.

Carter started to feel emotional, one of his flaws that his former captain had pointed out many times, but now he would never get to hear the scolding tease anymore. "Farewell, Captain…" he said slowly in a soft tone, putting his hands over the open eyes to close his captain off to the world, forever.

Then there was a cheering, causing Carter to snap his head up in fury at the happy sound, but when he looked his saw that his blood coated crewmates were cheering at the revenge they had earned from their dead captain as every marine in their path had been plowed to the ground with bullets and steel. He couldn't help but let a small smirk grace his features; his captain would have been happy, he knew he would.

"We aren't done yet."

Carter turned to the voice, seeing that it was Drake in human form again, staring at him like he knew what needed to be done. And Carter did know what needed to be done. "But we have no ship." he frowned deeply, remembering the dreaded sight of the marines putting a torch to their beloved ship.

"I can get a ship." Drake replied. "Just meet me at the docks, and we'll finish this for good."

* * *

><p>The former captain of the Feathered Doves was wrapped up in a white tarp and carried out on a board by his men that had tears in their eyes, especially Carter.<p>

Drake watched from the sidelines with his small crew with a blank expression on his face. He could understand the emotional moment of sending their dead captain to the sea, but was the tears and crying necessary? He just shook his head slightly to toss the thought aside; he wouldn't worry about it.

The former Feathered Doves hesitated as the board balanced on the railing of the marine warship that Drake had stolen from the docks; with no marines around it was an easy steal, and all the pirates looked at the ex-first mate.

Carter quickly wiped his eyes of tears before turning to the sea. "We therefore commit this body to the deep, in the sure and certain knowledge of the Resurrection to come," he recited the small sailor's pray and everyone, including Drake and his crew, bowed their heads at the board balancing the body tilted, letting the dead captain rest at peace with the sea.

Everyone was still, only listening to the waves gently hitting the side of the ship, and then heavy footsteps brought life back to the dead silence as Drake walked over to Carter.

Carter had more tears swell in his eyes when the body broke the ocean's surface and didn't resurface, and when he saw Drake lean against the railing, he quickly swiped them away. "Thank you for the help." He said in a calm voice.

It may have sounded calm, but Drake could still hear the small cracks in the ex-first mate's tone and he simply nodded in response then said: "What are you going to do now?"

Carter released a shaky exhale at that question. "I don't know." He answered. "Before Captain died we were going to go after One Piece, but now without him…" his voice trailed away as the emotion started to swell within him again.

Drake stood there stiffly, watching the other man cry again. He didn't know how to deal with a crying man…so awkwardly, he patted Carter's shoulder. "I'm also going have One Piece." Drake said simply.

"Well good luck with that." Carter replied, wiping more tears away on his damp sleeve.

"I was thinking you could join my small crew." Drake proposed. "Ten men can't sail a warship."

He was a bit hesitant of asking the former Feathered Doves to join his crew after being with them for a few hours now. True, they were good in battle and had little on them but for a few scratches after the fight in the gallows, but he didn't think there would be this much...emotion coming from the men, especially pirates. But it was the last island before the Grand Line, and he needed more of a crew and ship, and well, he had both of those things in front of him right now.

Carter stopped wiping his eyes and stared at Drake with bewildered eyes.

Usually when a person was shocked then they would either ask too many questions or say no, and Drake wanted neither of the above and just wanted a simply yes. "Now that you have avenged your captain, why not help fulfill his goal?" Drake challenged, crossing his arms over his chest. He had to say something that would get the ex-first mate to agree, and that seemed like a good idea since Carter was strongly attached to his former captain. So, in a way, Drake was also using the emotional flaw of the other man to his advantage.

Carter was silent, his lips pressed in a thin line of thought as he looked down at his feet then he looked up at the pirate captain. "Alright, I'll join your crew, all of us will." he said with all seriousness and a look of determination burning in his eyes.

Drake nodded with a small smirk, looking around his new crew, seeing the same look. He still didn't know if taking these emotional men on his crew was a good idea, though beggars can't be choosers. He was pleased that his plan worked out perfectly and now he had a full crew that was eager to find One Piece alongside him.


	9. Chapter 8: Can't be a First Mate

Kinda late with a update here. Still don't know what I'm doing here, but worth a shot I suppose.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but OCs are mine.

* * *

><p>Chapter 8: Can't be a First-mate.<p>

Drake tapped the pencil against the paperwork he was examining with a nod of approval.

Jacob was living up to his reputation of being one of the best navigators out there; he was even better then most of the navigators he had working under him in the Marines. Jacob was able to map out a course to the Calm Belt; he even got a course that would get the ship to the Grand Line. Though, Jacob was beyond the word skeptically about the idea and was rather in a state of _are-you-crazy-we-will-be-killed-in-a-heart-beat-if-we-go-there_ panic that caused the navigator to sweat buckets from his bald head to the floor.

Drake had waited a few minutes, which was thirty minutes approximately, for Jacob to calm down to the point where he was only breath heavily with wide eyes, but had enough focus to pay attention and Drake was able to start explaining the Kairouseki Stone. The stone was placed on the bottom of all warships because it gave off the same energy as the sea, so if a Sea Kings swim under the ships, they wouldn't notice them.

That calmed Jacob down for the time being, but then the question came up about if a Sea King were to surface and see them, and he went on to say that the Sea Kings would see them then.

Drake just nodded.

Then Jacob went into another panic attack.

Drake just shook his head and ordered him to make a route that would get them through the Calm Belt after he calmed down.

So now, about three hours after he ordered his navigator to make him the charts, he was now looking over them, and was pleased with the turn out. They should be able to get through the Calm Belt and into the Grand Line with no problem. Well, if no Sea Kings decide to surface, that is, but that would be a fifty-fifty chance. Maybe.

"Captain!" A pounding at his door and the sharp call of his name made Drake alert that something was wrong.

"What is it?" He called back to the question, starting to rise from his seat, but then the door slammed open, revealing a very upset crew member dragging a very confused Leanne in by her arm.

Drake scowled at the way Leanne was being handled, but then he saw that one crew member turned out to be two, ten, and then all of them, crowding at his doorway with knitted brows from under their floppy feathered hats. That made him sit back down in his chair with a deep frown.

This was not going to be good.

"Captain," The crew member lowered his voice slightly in respect, but still flaming with anger. "I'm sorry, but I can't take orders from _her._" He shook the hand that was holding Leanne's arm.

Drake just blinked. "What do you mean?" he knew what it was though; it had to do with Leanne being his first mate. Since she was the first to join his crew, it made sense. Though, it had been a problem back when it was just Jacob and his employees. For some reason they had trouble with just having something asked of them from her. Now he had a whole crew not liking the idea of Leanne not being his first mate.

Like he thought: this was not going to be good.

"We just can't take orders from her. I don't mean to be sexist or anything like that, but it's not something I'm used to." The crew member explained, straighten his posture. "I just don't think she can be a first mate!"

"First-mate…" Leanne blinked, and looked between her mate that was squeezing her arm and then to her captain. "I didn't know I was the first mate…"

"That's because you aren't the first mate." Drake stated, feeling the pain of saying that, but there would be a riot on his ship and in his crew since all of them didn't want Leanne to be the first mate. So, he had to please the masses and make the right choice, though he didn't like it one bit. "The first mate needs to be someone who can give orders firmly, Leanne. That's why Carter is the first mate since he knows these men and has been a first mate."

"Oh." The crew member blinked in surprise and quickly let go of Leanne's arm. "Sorry 'bout that." He rubbed the back of his neck bashfully with a weak smile. "Captain." He bowed his head and slowly back out the room in the mass of other shame worthy looking men that were guilty of slight harassment of Leanne since they thought she was the first-mate.

"Leanne." Drake called to her as she was starting to walk out with the rest of his crew.

Leanne stopped and turned halfway on her heel so she was looking over her shoulder with a questioning look.

"I'm sorry."

Leanne just smiled lightly. "Not your fault. It was only a misunderstanding, right?"

Drake was silent; his lips pressed in a thin line of thought, and forced a small nod of his head.

Leanne smiled at him once more then turned back on her heel towards the door, closing the door behind her.

When Drake heard the small _click_, he slouched in his seat, and tapped the pencil still in his hands against the sea charts on his desk with a sigh. Lying wasn't a good habit for him to get into with Leanne, pirate or not. He had done it one to many times in the Marines, too.

* * *

><p>Jacob knew something was up, and no, it didn't have to do with the whole <em>the-crew-thinks-that-Leanne-can't-be-first-mate<em> thing...well actually yes it did, because he was pretty sure that Drake's first mate _was_ Leanne, even if Drake didn't say anything. So why did Drake say that Carter was the first mate? Not that Jacob had anything against Carter, but he was a rather…_emotional_ man, a bit more emotional then any man should be. Though, he was the first mate of the former Feathered Doves, so maybe Drake was just going a new route because a majority of his crew knew Carter and would take orders from him, and Leanne was a bit…frail in some ways. She could never order the crew around when she could barely ask them to do something. It would never work, and Drake must have seen that, but then why did he plan to make her his first mate? Only one way to find out.

"Leanne." Jacob said, walking up to her where she was leaning against the railing. "Can I talk to you about something."

Leanne looked over at him, glancing at the moon reflecting on his bald head for a second before turning her full attention on him. "Yeah, what is it?"

"Did Captain ever talk to you about being the first mate?"

Leanne blinked repeatedly, finding the question to be odd. "No, why?" she eyed the navigator curiously.

"Because I thought you were the first mate since you were the first to join. That's usually how it goes." He explained.

"Well, I guess." She shrugged, closing her eyes for a moment before reopening them to look at the dark horizon of night on the sea. "But I'm not the best with giving orders." She admitted sheepishly.

"True," Jacob nodded in agreement. "But, you know, some people aren't just born with the skills to take charge, you need to learn. Like I had to learn to be the boss of my shop."

"So, you're saying I should have been the first mate, even if I can't give orders well because I could have learned how to?" She asked, tilting her head to the side to look at him in thought. "But the rest of the crew didn't want me to."

"Maybe, but they're men, they can suck it up." Jacob grunted, crossing his arms over his chest.

"But they looked as if they wanted to riot if I was first mate…" Leanne looked down at the railing as he fingers tapped against them.

"Just shows how mature they all are." Jacob rolled his eyes in annoyance. "But I was pretty sure Captain wanted you to be his first mate."

"But—"

"Did anything happen with you and Captain?" Jacob cut her off and looked at her with a curious brow raised.

Leanne looked at him with an equally curious look. "What do you mean?"

"Like, does Captain like you or something?"

Leanne's face twisted into shock, her eyebrows shooting up to her hair line, her eyes growing wide to the size of saucers and cheeks the coloring of flaming hot coal. "What!" She stuttered nervously. "Me and Captain? Like that? No!" She shook her head back and forth frantically, making her long brown hair whip around. "Nothing like that has ever happened between us, ever! Not even back in the Marines! The Vice Admiral would never allow that!"

Jacob leaned away from her hair going wild, and gave her an odd look. So, Leanne must haven't thought about it that way before based on the way she was acting, but still, Jacob wondered how Drake felt about it all.


	10. Chapter 9: A New Fit

I'm in a Drake mood, so I wrote out this chapter today about how Drake got his outfit. I just don't feel that Drake woke up one morning and said: "Hmm...I think I'm going to wear this, and this and this..." it is a rather flashy outfit and all. So, I came up with this idea.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but OCs are mine.

* * *

><p>Chapter 9: A New Fit.<p>

Drake sighed deeply as he stared into the large mirror hanging on the wall in his quarters, pulling at the fabric of his new pants.

Carter said that he needed some new clothes, and at first, Drake waved it aside as unimportant, but then he got a good look at the bloody navy overcoat that was a part of his normal attire. It was getting rather old, and dirty. So, he decided that maybe he should listen to his first mate and get something new to wear.

Carter, being the emotional man he is about everything, was jumping for joy that Drake agreed to the idea and then elaborated more on his plan that Leanne, Jacob, and the navigator's former employees should also get new clothes as well.

So now, Jacob and his former employees that were standing in Drake's quarters as well, and were wearing the former Feathered Doves uniform of striped white and blue pants and button up shirts of all colors tucked neatly then black boots to tuck the hems of their pants in. But the finishing touches were the floppy hats with large feathers sticking out from them and long capes draped over their shoulders.

Though, Drake's outfit was nothing like that.

Carter, on his own behalf, decided that his new captain should wear what his former captain did.

Now, Drake wasn't too comfortable with wearing the dead pirate captain's clothing, but when Carter shoved the bundle of blue fabric into his arms, Drake sort of had no choice as his first-mate ushered him into the clothes.

Drake sighed again, looking at the outfit that Carter had given to him. The whole outfit was a light navy blue, his body almost completely covered except his bare, tattooed chest and a belt with a large ornate design helped secure his saber to his hip. Then a dark navy blue cape that was draped over his shoulders with fur wrapped around the hems by his neck. And of course, there was a hat with feather to top it all off, but he also had a mask that covered his eyes.

It didn't really hide the fact that he was, well, him, since the 'x' scar on his chin would give him away, but maybe the new look would make people wave it aside.

Drake stared at himself in the mirror again.

Yeah right. This new outfit would turn heads and draw more attention to his person and crew. He had half the mind just to say to Carter that this just wasn't going to work, but that wouldn't be a good idea because of how his first mate was acting.

"You look great Captain!" Carter gushed with a large grin, but then turned quickly, and randomly, away, burying his face in the crook of his arm. "Captain would be so proud!" he started to sob wildly.

Drake turned his attention away from his reflection and to his crying first mate.

Such a flaw that was stamped on his first-mate: extreme emotions.

Drake knew Carter was crying because of his former captain, but the death happened_ weeks_ ago. Most of the crew was over that now and could easily talk about it without tears, except for Carter who wouldn't stop shedding the tears. Drake questioned many times why he chose Carter to be first mate; he knew one reason was because the majority knew Carter as a first mate, but still. He was just so...emotional, which is never a good thing in a pirate, or a man in general.

And Jacob was quick to point that out.

"By God's holy name, man!" Jacob bit out at the crying first mate with a scowl from under the brim of his new floppy feathered hat that covered his bald head. "Stop crying, you're a _man_ for Pete's sake!"

Carter snapped away from crying in his arm and turned a harsh glare towards the navigator. "Oh zip it, Jacob!" he barked, all signs of depression melted away. "You don't know how it feels!"

"You're right I don't know, but I do know you have more mood swings then a woman!" Jacob retorted, motioning a hand towards Leanne who was coming into the main room.

She was walking out of Drake's bathroom in a similar outfit to the rest of the crew: stripped pants blue and white pants, cape and feathered hat, but she was having a bit of difficulty with her navy colored shirt. Since she was a woman and the shirt was clearly for a man, the buttons on the shirt were fighting against her chest as Leanne tried to get them to stay together. "This is ridiculous." She grumbled, trying to get the small blue button to stay fit at the middle of her breasts.

The men just stared at her.

Drake though, didn't like the looks they were giving her. "Leanne." He coughed lightly into a closed fist.

Leanne looked up from the button and towards Drake, her brows knitted together in confusion, but then her eyes glanced at the blushes of the other men in the room. "Oh, oops." She stopped fidgeting with the button and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "I'm having a bit of trouble with this button…" she explained, pointing at the unbuttoned button that allowed her cleavage to show.

"I see." Drake said simply, but then his brow started to rise as Leanne stared at him intensely. "Have something to say?"

Leanne was silent for a moment, tilting her head from side to side. "Where did you get that tattoo?" she finally questioned.

Drake turned away from her and looked back into the mirror, glancing at the large X in the middle of his chest, and then turned back to Leanne. "To tell you the truth, I really don't remember."

Leanne blinked. "How do you not remember?"

Drake shrugged. "I was drunk when I got it. I think." He told her, closing his eyes in deep thought. "I think I got it the day before I became a Captain in the ranks of the Marines, since I didn't have it the day before that and the day after I had it, so it makes sense. There were ten of us getting promoted that year, too and we did celebrate. So, maybe the ten of us decided to get tattoos on our chests, and I must have been the tenth one to get one, so I got a roman numeral ten instead of an one and zero." He theorized, reopening his eyes and looked back at Leanne.

Leanne just stared at him in shock. "You got drunk before?" she asked in a bewildered tone, stunned that her captain would ever get drunk, even in the Marines he never got drunk when she worked under him. Though, she did join his crew a few weeks after he became a captain, so it may have been possible, but it was still hard to believe.

"That was the last time. I think." Drake shrugged again.

"I never thought you would be the type to get drunk though…"

"But he's a pirate now." Carter interjected. "He has to get drunk now! All pirates get drunk!"

"Really?" Jacob scoffed, rolling his eyes in annoyance. "That is just ridiculous!"

"No it's not!" Carter countered with a scowl.

Drake just tuned out his bickering navigator and first-mate, turning away from Leanne who was trying to button her shirt again in frustration and looked at his reflection in his mirror again. He pulled at the fabric of his pants and sighed; this was going to get some getting used to.

* * *

><p>So, this chapter explains how Drake got his outfit and also how he got that tattoo. It's kinda a humorous thing. I really don't know why Drake has that tattoo, so I came up with something.<p> 


	11. Chapter 10: Night to Celebrate

It's been awhile since I updated this...but, anyway, I had this idea in my head for awhile, so I hope you all enjoy it.

**Edited: Changed Drake's logic, old readers will get this, new readers, you don't have to worry about it. :)**

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but OCs are mine.

* * *

><p>Chapter 10: Night to Celebrate.<p>

The rest of the way through the Calm Belt went smoothly, though, every time Jacob saw a Sea King on the horizon miles away, he would have a panic attack and sometimes faint. Drake, after his navigator calmed down or woke up after someone splashed water in his face, would try to explain to him slowly that the Sea Kings could not see them from where they were. Jacob wouldn't believe it and continued to panic when he saw Sea Kings surface in the hazy distance, but now, Drake no longer had to worry about that because he and his crew were officially in the Grand Line.

And what better way to celebrate then at the bar.

Though, that was Carter's idea.

Drake didn't mind a small celebration, but what Carter had in mind wasn't really that since his whole entire crew was wasted completely with the exception of himself and Jacob, who was grumbling next to him as they sat at the bar.

Carter apparently told Jacob that he was a wuss for not drinking with the rest of the crew, so now his navigator was cast off to the side, cursing the blonde first mate under his breath with a large scowl painted on his tan face.

Drake wasn't worried about that though, but rather Leanne. His eyes were locked onto the shady group in the corner, eyeing her with _that_ sort of glint in their eyes. So he watched her and them like a hawk, his eyes darting back and forth between them. Her drunken form was swallowed by the rest of his drunken crew and she was talking animatedly with Carter about something. Her brows were furrowed together, slowly rising from her seat to loom over his first mate as her mouth continued to move nonstop.

Carter looked like he was about to use the same strategy, and be more affective with it since he was taller, but as soon as he started to move up, something hit him in the forehead: Leanne's button.

The small button that was barely holding her chest in popped all of a sudden, coming undone with so much force to actually make it repel then cause a chain reaction of the button under it to open as well, revealing more of her breasts and the red colored bra holding them in.

Drake stared at the situation, but then snapped out of it when a man from the shady group started stalking over to her, like a night cat on the growl, and he glared, starting to move from away from the table and his seat.

Then Carter took a chair at swung it at the man, sending him flying through the musty ale smelling air while screaming something that along the lines of _don't touch my little sister_, though it was hard to tell with all the slurring.

So, Drake just plopped back down in his chair with a sigh; at least his crew was looking out for Leanne, but it he still had his worries. "Leanne," he called over to her, and Drake watched her head snap from looking at the man embedded in the bar's counter with stars swimming around his head and towards him, the whole time still talking even if it was to no one.

She trotted drunkenly over towards him, stumbling over nothing as she made her way to the table until she fell into it almost, which for some reason started to make her laugh wildly as she continued to speak unintelligible words.

Drake caught her before she could cause anymore damage to herself, and then placed her small body in the chair beside in with ease.

"Wat's it Capt'n?" she hiccupped with a lopsided smile, swaying back and forth in her seat, in danger of falling out of it.

Drake slung an arm around her waist for support, anchoring her to the chair and his side. "You need to be more carefully," he told her simply, ignoring the look of curiosity he was getting from Jacob. "It's not safe to act like that in a bar."

"But Capt'n!" she whined, rolling her head to lean against his chest. "Was jus' avin' a jabbin' contest 'ith Carder!"

That peeked Jacob's interest, moving it away from how Drake was acting with Leanne. "Jabbing contest? And it's _Carter_, not_ Carder_."

"Tat's wat I said..." she looked passed Drake and at the navigator, but then continued on quickly. "An' we did hav'a jabbin' contest!" she grinned largely, flopping her head against Drake's chest again. "An' I won, too! Told him _nothin'_ could shut me up, and I darn proved him right! Even when—"

Leanne went off into a nonstop talking fit again, which Jacob found annoying and tuned out easily, but Drake he found it oddly amusing to see her acting this way. He just listened to her speak away in just a confusing tone that he felt he lost in the conversation. She told stories about her sick father that loved history, her mother's world famous bread and how much she _hated_ bugs with a burning passion. None of this was new to him; she told him about this when they were back in the Marines. Almost everything she said she talked about once, like how she thought that Vice Admiral didn't like her, and like in the past, she questioned and questioned him on if it was true and or why it was true.

Drake started to feel uncomfortable talking about the Vice Admiral, and he wanted her to stop the conversation, completely. And he did it the only way he knew would work. Curling his fingers around her chin, he brought her face up away from resting against his chest so she was looking up at him, not that she noticed since she just question away, asking if she had done something to the Vice Admiral when she was drunk before.

Then he kissed her.

It wasn't anything big, just a simple kiss to cease the questions. Though, all it did was make Leanne to freak out and sober up. She pushed her hands against his chest in an attempt to shove him away, but due to the fact that Drake was more muscular then her thin frame, she ended up shoving herself back off the chair, out of Drake's arm that was around her waist and onto to the floor: speechless.

Drake didn't want the conversation of the Vice Admiral to pop up again, so he redirected the subject elsewhere as he rested his elbow then placed his cheek against his hand, looking down at her stunned, blushing face with a small smirk. "I think that worked its charm very well, don't you think?"

Leanne was silent, and just stared at him.

Drake chuckled quietly under his breath, but then the smile that was on his lips fell to a frown and looked behind him to see that Jacob for some reason looked to be having a panic attack as he fell to the floor. Why? Drake didn't know; there were no Sea Kings in the bar.

* * *

><p>Another short chapter, sorry about that. But hope you liked it.<p> 


	12. Chapter 11: Baffled

Sorry for the misspelled word of perfect. I'll go back and fix it, but (I know this is a terrible thing to say) I feeling lazy about going back and looking for all the perfects I miss spelled. If someone wants to point it out for me, feel free; I don't bite or anything when you tell me where errors in my writing are.

So, anyway, short chapter for the reason of, hopefully, explaining the last chapter. Maybe? Well, we'll see.

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but OCs are mine.

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><p>Chapter 11: Baffled.<p>

Jacob was baffled, which formed a permanent crease on his tanned brow, and Carter was sure to make fun of him for it, saying he looked thirty years older, but the navigator ignored the blunt insult, continuing to focus on the subject of his confusion: his captain.

It started back at the bar, now Jacob knew that Drake had known Leanne for probably a few years because of their time in the marines, so it was logical that his captain would feel a sense of over protectiveness for Leanne, not only because Drake must have seen her as a friend, but also as a woman on his crew, but that's not what threw Jacob off.

It was the way Drake was really _acting_ towards Leanne.

The navigator found it extremely odd that his captain would hold her like _that_; as a captain, Jacob thought that Drake should have just grabbed her by the arm rather than pull her close to his chest like _that_: it looked like a _lover's_ embrace, or at least something _very_ close to it.

Then, what sent him overboard and to lying out cold on the floor of a filthy bar was when Drake _kissed_ her.

It felt out of the blue, uncharacteristic for someone like his captain, and when Jacob questioned Drake on this, on why he would just go and _kiss_ Leanne like that, well of course it was after he woke up from unconsciousness, his captain simply said:

"_She said nothing could shut her up, so I proved her wrong._"

That didn't make sense, not one little ounce of it made sense, which why he was baffled for so long.

There are so many different other ways to shut up a jabbing woman who is drunk: one, he could have just placed a hand over her mouth, two, he could have given her more to drink until she passed out, or three he could have knocked her out. Well, the last two ideas didn't seem all to likely to happen just based on Drake's person and how he acted with Leanne, but the first choice did.

Jacob could see his captain simply putting a hand over her mouth then order: "_Quiet,_" and Leanne would silently nod her, even when drunk.

But that's not what happened, which led Jacob to watch Drake and how he reacted towards Leanne to try and cure his bafflement.

Leanne was a blushing fool after they the left the first island on their travels through the Grand Line and she avoided Drake as much as she possibly could; and the crew was confused on why this was because they were beyond wasted when the kiss happened, so they didn't see it like Jacob did. But also because Drake showed no emotion towards the fact that Leanne scampered out of the room when he entered it.

Drake's face was straight faced, no emotion drawn on his expression, making him look like a new, clean piece of slate, but then slowly, something was happening to the pirate captain.

Drake, at first, didn't seem to care, but as the days went by, turning into weeks, he would watch Leanne with a frown as his fingers constantly tapped against anything, a sign that he was thinking. Jacob knew this because when he asked Drake a question and his captain didn't know how to answer it right away, he would drum his fingers against the table top of his desk or against the pegs on the wheel of the ship.

So, Drake was obviously thinking about Leanne since he was always looking at her squarely with a frown, most likely thinking about what he did and how it was straining they relationship they had.

But why did Drake care so much, and if they were friends, why didn't he talk about it with her, to clear up the whole situation.

Was there something else going on inside Drake's mind, something that he didn't know because he never thought about it since it was buried deep within his subconscious and it bubbled to the surface after the kiss, which led Jacob to one logically answer.

His captain, X. Drake, liked the crew's sharp shooter, Leanne.

It was like the thundering grey clouds storming within his confused mind cleared instantly, a bright shiny day that was filled with light that showed what it really was.

With that little bit of information, the idea of Drake kissing Leanne didn't confuse him, making him smirk because he figured it out.

Carter, who was standing next to the navigator at the wheel of the ship with Drake, stared at Jacob, his brows furrowing with annoyance. "What's wrong with you?"

Jacob, upon realizing what he just figured out, became shocked, his eyes opening wide and his jaw hitting the floor.

"Oi…" Carter inched away from he navigator slowly. "What _is_ wrong with you…?" he repeated, his eyes showing distribution at Jacob's odd actions.

Jacob ignored the first-mate, feeling light headed at the dynamic thought that explained everything: Drake _liked_ Leanne; _Drake_, the fallen Marine officer gone pirate, _**liked**_ _Leanne_, the simple Marine gone pirate.

It was all too much for the navigator to take, and he promptly fainted, taking an irritated Carter with him to the deck.

* * *

><p>The rap of knuckles knocked against the oak doors of her office, and she never looking up from her work, she coolly called out: "Enter."<p>

The hinges creaked quietly as her new Rear Admiral walked through the open doorway. He saluted her briefly, clicking his heels together. "Ma'am, we have located the traitor," he informed her.

She glanced up, her purple eyes going wild with rage and she held out a hand. "Give me the report," she bit out coldly.

The Rear Admiral nodded and in two quick steps, he was at her desk, handing over the papers.

She read over them quickly, her brows knotting together even more with each passing second. Then she threw the small bundle of papers to the desk and, with pen in hand, she shoved the point into the picture of the man's eye. "I'll get you Drake. I swear to God, I will find you, and you will pay. _Dearly_."


	13. Chapter 12: Bugs

**So, this chapter is long overdue, but I went through a phase where the muse disappeared. Though, it came back when I talked to my beta. This story had been edited and storyline is somewhat different. I gave Leanne more of a background so she isn't so shallow. I changed up Drake's personality. And lastly, I actually made an antagonist to go up against Drake and his crew. I also edited, though it's probably not perfect, but I tried.**

Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but plot and OCs are mine.

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><p>Chapter 12: Bugs…<p>

Carter stared long and hard at the scene, tilting his head to the side to grasp the odd sight. Though, he had to shoo a giant blue beetle that landed on his shoulder away, slightly disgusted at the thin feet clinging to the fabric of his shirt. He shuttered as the abnormally large bug hovered away, only for other creepy crawlers to invade his personal space, on being a huge butterfly that landed on the top of his hat. The population of large insects aside, that wasn't the thing Carter was focused on. He looked back to the odd sight, still confused, so he turned to Jacob, thinking the navigator had a better idea about what was going on. Though, Jacob merely looked down at the log post attached to his wrist.

"Hey, what's up with that?" Carter asked, pointing towards the scene.

Jacob ignored the first mate and turned his attention to the small tribal village, scanning the huts for someone that knew how long it would take for the log to set. Finding what he needed, Jacob started to walk away, stepping over a large centipede along the way so he could speak with an old man tending a large fire with the butt of his staff.

Carter was quick to follow, dancing around a line of ants marching deep into the forest then he repeated his question, more harshly this time. "Oi, baldy, what's up with that?" and he jerked a thumb over his shoulder, pointing to the odd scene again.

Jacob ignored him once again.

"_Oi!_" Carter snapped, extremely irritated; enough to whack Jacob upside the head.

Jacob flinched at the sudden impact and then whirled around to scowl darkly at the first mate. "_What?_" He asked with mock politeness, a twitchy smile on his lips.

Carter showed no remorse and jerked his thumb over his shoulder once more then asked for the third time: "What's up with that?"

Jacob looked around Carter's form, seeing the supposedly odd sight. It was Drake and Leanne. Drake, he stood like an emotionless statue while Leanne clung to his arm in wide eyed terror as insects crawled around her feet and flew above her head. Jacob then looked back to Carter and said: "She has a fear of bug, she really hates them."

Carter's brow rose. "How do you know that?"

Jacob stared at him as his brows furrowed into a straight line of annoyance and he simply pointed a finger at the sharpshooter. "Are you blind?" He then asked.

Carter glared at him. "It could have just been the size, not bug in general!" He snapped, defending himself.

Jacob scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Whatever. Even if you're blind—" and Carter growled at the words, but the navigator ignored it and continued. "—Leanne said she was at the last island…" Jacob trailed off, fully remembering what else happened at the island.

It had been awhile now since Jacob came to his conclusion about Drake and Leanne's relationship, but still, it was hard to grasp. And that caused him to have a mild panic attack.

Carter froze; ready to call Doctor Cardinal again, but the sound of gunfire made everything stop. Whipping around, he saw it was Drake and Leanne again.

Leanne's fear of bugs was overwhelming and she seemed she was going to shoot the living daylights out of a centipede that got too close to her toes, but Drake ended that by moving her arm at the right time. So, she shot up, not down. Though, she still hit something, but instead of a bug, she hit a passing seagull dead.

The bird crashed to the ground in a bloody heap where Ulrich the cook snatched it up before skipping away to his kitchen to prepare a lovely snack for his beloved, which so happen to be his faithful German Shepherd, Arno.

That was then ignored as Drake stared to walk over to his first mate and navigator, still with his sharpshooter clinging to his arm as if her life depended on it. Drake nodded to the slightly baffled Carter and then looked to the still panicking Jacob. "Do I need to get Cardinal, Jacob?" He asked simply.

Jacob took a minute of breathing in and then out to calm his nerves and then he coughed to clear his throat. "No," he said, yet his tone was uneasy. "I'm fine, perfectly fine, down right peachy. Now," then he turned sharply on his heel sharply. "I'm going to talk to the Chief of this Tribe so I can find out when the log will set." And he walked away.

Drake followed him calmly with Leanne still hanging off of him, and just for the heck of it, Carter trailed behind the navigator, too.

The large fire in the middle of the village cracked loudly as the pirates stood before it. The Chief sat on the other side and continued to tend to the flames, moving the pile of wood to keep the fire going. "Have you come to steal like the others?"

"Steal what?" Jacob inquired and then pointed to the log post on his wrist. "I want to know how long the log needs to set."

"Two days," the Chief grunted.

"Thank you," Jacob nodded to the Chief and away about to leave, but Carter stopped him by placing a hand to his shoulder.

Carter ignored the glare and looked directly at the Chief. "What have people been trying to steal?"

"Many things," the Chief replied. "There a many treasures planted in the jungles of our home, but there are two they try to steal, but never can."

"Ooh~?" Carter's brow rose with curiosity and a slick smirk appeared on his lips. "And what are those things?"

The Chief looked up at him, his brushy brows furrowing together. "You may not be the first people to come and try to steal, but you are the first of your kind."

Drake then became curious in the conversation. "You mean pirates aren't the main people coming here?"

"No, the men in suits come here," the Chief replied. "They come here often, but always come out empty handed."

"Hmm," Drake hummed. "Interesting."

"Yes, that's lovely," Carter jumped into the conversation again. "Now mind tell use what those priceless little gems that the Suits want to steal?"

The Chief sighed and shook his head before saying: "The Story and Excalibur."


	14. Chapter 13: Into the Jungle

Claridessa: Thank you, and sorry that you find it to be confusing...

DisillusionedNight: The Suits will be revealed soon, or, er, when I get that chapter out... And I have a big plan for Excalibur.

Alpenwolf: I update this when I need a break from Bones and His Heir. This story is a breather from those two monsters...

Mugiwara Otome: I'm glad you are enjoying it.

Phalanx: Thank you, and I'll try better with my grammar issue...we are currently in an epic battle and sadly I think you can tell who is winning. T.T

Guest: I was going for that, lol... But it's entirely different from what I'm planning.

Girl-luvs-manga: This relationship will probably be a bit faster(?) due to the fact that Leanne and Drake already have the friendship foundation, so its only a matter time. Of course I'll try and make it logical and realistic.

Trich: Thank you very much.

praeses: ...and it's strange talking to you outside a speedy pm... And the hellish nightmare of the island is yet to come.

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece, but plot and OCs are mine

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><p>Chapter 13: Into the Jungle.<p>

The thick canopy trees blocked the heavy rays if the sun as large tree trunks towered over the small group of pirates that traveled deep within the jungles of Critter Isle. Leafy shrubs spilled over the thin, narrow path that they had walked along, the bright colored Amazon flowers giving the shadowed area a sense of light. Drake used his saber to cut a clear way for his crew following close behind, some closer than others. Leanne still clung to him like a life line, and no matter how hard Carter had tried to pry her away with all his strength, she would not budge. The first mate even had tried using a crowbar to peel the sharpshooter away, which Drake wasn't too keen about since he didn't like the feeling of a piece of metal forcibly wedged between his arm and Leanne's chest.

So, after the fist mate had gotten a quick beating from the annoyed navigator, Drake had came to the ultimate conclusion that was Leanne going with them. It was the only option if he were to lead the way. She was too stiff with fear to even _think _about moving, and Drake sure as hell wasn't going to sit around the bay. He wanted to know that the men in suits wanted, though if his hunch was right, he already knew what he would come across: a sin.

But, he kept that to himself. He didn't want to worry his crew, especially Jacob who had a weak heart.

Though, Leanne would be a burden, obviously, but Drake didn't show any signs that she was to him. Truthfully, the others within the group didn't either. Aengus, the combat specialist of the crew, was more interested in the treasure of island since he wanted to purchase a new pair of brass knuckles. _With spikes this time_, the muscular Irish man had said over and over, making that very clear to Kenny, Doctor Cardinal's assistant. Though, Kenny merely spoke of herbs that could be collected in the vast jungle area. Then there was Carter and Jacob, but it was obvious how they felt about the situation.

Carter was not burdened by Leanne's fear whatsoever; either was Jacob in fact. However, Jacob did think that Carter was a burden. A large one, especially when he got Kenny and Aengus to…_sing_ with him.

"_Oh~_" Carter airily sang. "_In the jungle~_"

"_The mighty jungle~_" Aengus sang with deep accent like the burly man he was and he flexed his thick muscles in pride.

"_The lion sleeps tonight~_" Kenny wailed like a dying frog, yet that didn't stop the three from their trio from singing the chorus.

"_A wimoweh, a wimoweh,_" they all sang off tune as they shuffled to the right two steps before shuffling back to the left. "_A wimoweh, a wimoweh,_"

If Jacob had a brick he would kill himself with it.

Sadly, he did not have one, so he had to try and get the highest form of authority to help him. "_Captain,_" he ground through his teeth, turning to face Drake, yet he saw his captain had his hands full with Leanne.

Drake had made some progress with Leanne when the population of abnormally large bugs dwindled. The sharpshooter had actually let got of his arms and took baby steps on her own. Though, it was short lived when a large beetle zipped over her feet.

Leanne leaped in pure terror, scrambling to a large stone and stood perched high above the ground where more giant insects scurried across the ground. Now, Drake was faced with the task of coaxing the sharpshooter down; good luck with that.

Jacob sighed heavily before turning back to his obnoxious crewmates and took a deep breath in before yelling: "**Would you all shut up!**"

The three men cringed at the bellow from the navigator, inching away from the fuming man so they could collect their composure and space.

"Oi, oi," Carter dully groaned with a deep frown as he stuck a pinkie into his ear and twisted it. "You burst my eardrum, jerk."

Jacob flared his nostrils in annoyance. "Just stop the singing," he ordered harshly with hands on his hips.

Carter glared pointedly at the agitated first mate. "And why do I have take orders from you?" He snippily asked, attitude sharp on his tongue.

"Because you're annoying!" Jacob snapped bitterly.

"C—calm down, guys," Kenny tried to cool the boiling heat for the argument about to arise. "We were only trying to lighten the mood, Jacob," the medical assistant tried to explain to the navigator. "It was to make Leanne feel better."

Jacob scoffed and then jabbed a finger towards the sharpshooter so everyone saw that she was curled up in a tight ball on top of a large boulder with Drake trying hard to get her down. "Does she look _better_ to you?"

"Err," Kenny scratched the side of his cheek. "Not really…" he sheepishly replied.

"Looks like I'm right again," Jacob huffed with a shake of his head.

"_Tch,_" Carter scoffed, rolling his eyes. "The only thing that looks right is that you're a sourpuss-party-pooper-that-hates-anything-that-inv olves-the-word-fun!"

A vein of irritated pulses rapidly upon Jacob's forehead and he glared viciously towards the first mate. "Name calling; really? What are you, five? _Grow. Up. Carter._" the navigator snapped.

Carter scowled at the sharp attitude of the navigator and growled. "Shut up! Y—You shouldn't have even come; you're more bitchy than a girl on her period!" and he jabbed a finger towards Leanne.

The sharpshooter paid no heed to the words indirectly pointed towards her, but Drake noticed the rise in argument and looked over his shoulder, blinking his eyes. He just shook his head and went back to work trying to get Leanne down from where she was.

Jacob, though, took great offense to the words. "I am_ not!_" He scoffed. "And I came because you would have no idea how to get out of this jungle if it weren't for me!"

"You're a _sea_ navigator, not a jungle-expert-extraordinaire!"

"This has to with sense of direction, Carter, which is something you lack entirely!"

Carter gasped loudly in complete shock before his brows furrowed together in rage. "Oh, how dare you—take that back, bastard!"

"_Never!_"

"_You—!_"

"**Knock 'et off, both of ya lads!**" Aengus used his mighty strength to whack both of the navigator and first mate in the back of the heads.

Carter and Jacob jetted forwards form the impact, which made them bump foreheads roughly and caused whiplash to the point where they bounced backwards. The two men groaned in pain as they clutched sore foreheads before they snapped their attention towards the burly combat specialist and together, they hollered. "**_What the hell!_**"

Aengus merely grunted and pulled out his worn brass knuckles and slipped them over his fingers. "We have bigger problems," and he simply point up.

Confused, the two looked to where Aengus was pointing, and then, their jaws went slack.

There stood a praying mantas twenty feet tall and loaming over them with shape blades for claws. It tilted its abnormal head to the side, its large black eyes staring at them intensely as its antennas twitched lightly while large fangs opened and closed like a signal each breath was going in and out. The scene was silent and shocking, but then the scene went to pure chaos when Leanne screamed bloody murder.

And the praying mantas roared with blade and fangs glistening deadly in dim light.

Kenny's jaw dropped and he frankly point out. "The lion is no longer sleeping."


End file.
